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Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi officially took over as chief of general staff of the Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday.

Following a ceremony at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, Kochavi and his predecessor, outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, took a traditional tour of Jerusalem, including lengthy stops at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Western Wall.

The visits are meant to be a reminder of what Israel's military chiefs are fighting to defend: The Jewish people and faith.

During his swearing-in ceremony, Kochavi stated that he was taking the reins of the IDF with "holy awe."